Building-block machine.



No. 856,383. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907. W. J. ARMBRUSTER.

BUILDING BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. as. 1905.

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firrorne PATBNTED JUNE 11, 1907.

W. J. ARMBRUSTER. BUILDING BLOCK MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1905.-

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WILLIAM J. ARMBRUSTER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

BUILDING-BLOCK MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed November 25, 1905. Serial No. 289,114.

To a, who/11 (Ii 'nut concern:

Be it known that I, i/VILLIAM J. AiuiisnUs- TER, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Building-Block Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in concrete-block molding machines; and. it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of the mold or mold-box rocked to the position for receiving the material or charge for molding a one-face block, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a front-side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 44l of Fig. 1 with the mold, however, rocked to discharging position Fig. 5 is a rear-side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a vertical section on line 66 of Fig. 1 showing, however, in addition means for shifting and adjusting the positions of the face-plate and pallet; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional detail of the supporting frame on line 7-7 of Fig. 1 Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the face-plate; Fig. 9 is a horizontal sectional detail of the supporting frame taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 2; Fig. 10 is an elevational detail showing one of the adjustable brackets for supporting the pallet upon the withdrawal of the latter from the mold; Fig. 11 is a perspective detail showing the construction of the latches by means of which the hin ed walls of the mold-box are interlocked; Fig. 12 is a perspective of one of the tongues or ribs for spacing the cores of the mold Fig. 13 is a perspective view of one form of core; Fig. 14 is a perspective of a mold with an extension of its walls for molding a block with a convex face; Fig. 15 is a top plan of a mold showing the same divided into two compartments for molding two individual blocks; and Fig. 16 is a perspective of one form of block molded by the present machine.

The object of my invention is to construct a concrete-block molding machine primarily intended for a single or down-face machine, which can be readily converted .into a double-face machine, that is one in which the molded block is molded with two finished faces; one provided with means for the ac curate adjustment of the core-blocks which determine the positions of the ilues or openings of a hollow building block; one provided with means for adjusting the position of the pallet serving as a support for one of the faces of the block; one making provisions for the ready withdrawal of the pallet and the molded block resting thereon; one making provision for the ready insertion of the oil'- bear under the pallet thus withdrawn where by the block may be removed from the ma chine; one making special provision for the support of the pallet for its withdrawn position from the mold; one making special provision for the remov'al of the core from the mold; one making special provision for locking the several wings or gates constituting the walls of the mold, and for permitting their opening upon conclusion of the molding operation; one permitting the extension of the walls of the mold for the formation of distinct types of block; one permitting the insertion of end plates and face plates of different designs for various forms of block and one possessing constructive features resulting in various other and further advantages better apparent from a detailed description of the invention which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, B represents a suitable metallic supporting frame or base made of angle irons and [lat bars, and having a rearward extension. E in front of which are located at the sides of the frame the forked brackets 1, 1 between each pair of which is hinged a lug 2 projecting from the bottom of the mold. box or mold in which the concrete-block is cast. The box thus swings as a body about the common hinge axis of the lugs 2, the elevation of said axis above the top of the frame B being such as to allow the wall carrying the lugs 2 to be disposed in a horizontal plane when the mold box is swung to operative position, or the position in which the said wall rests on. the extension E (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5,). The mold box is substantially oblong in shape (though of course it may be cubical or any other shape depend ing on the shape of the block to be cast) the wall carrying the lugs 2 constituting the bot tom wall when the box is used as a down-face machine, that is, casting a block with a single finished face. The several verti ial walls of the box, that is to say, the end walls 3, 3, and-side walls 4, 4 are hinged to the bottom wall 5 in any mechanical manner as shown,

the several walls folding so as to mutually abut against one another after which they are locked together by means of the swinging latches 6 of the end walls engaging the rigid latches 7 of the side walls (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 11). The bottom and side walls are made as light as possible by removal of a portion of the metal from the bodies thereof as shown.

Supported by the bottom wall 5 is a face plate 8, which for a plane face block is flat as shown (Figs. 4, 8), the inner surface of said plate determining the character and style of finish for the face of the concrete block. This face plate 8 is secured to the bottom of the moldbox by means of screw-threaded stems 9 passed through the said bottom, and clamped thereto by tightening nuts 10 from the outside (Fig. 3). The face plate bears against the wall 4 but is somewhat narrower than the wall 5 thereby leaving a space between the plate and wall 4 for the insertion of the pallet 11 by which the block is sup ported when being withdrawn from the moldbox as subsequently to be explained. The allet 11 is inserted between the plate 8 and the wall 4, being however spaced from the inner surface of the wall proper by means of the ribs 12 cast on said wall, this space permitting the ready insertion of the fingers under the pallet in withdrawing it from the box, and the ribs serving to reduce the friction in the drawing of the pallet out of the box. The wall 4 is provided with a series of holes 0, 0, (though continuous slots would answer the same purpose) which receive the screw-threaded arms 13 of bars 14 disposed along the inner face of said wall, the bars being clamped in position when once adjusted, by means of the wing-nuts 15 as shown. The bars 14 serve as ribs or tongues for the grooves of the core-blocks or cores 16 (Fig; 13) which determine the size and character of the flue opening 0 of the completed concreteblock 0 (Fig. 16). In forming the building block 0 the material of the face is spread on the face plate 8 to the level of the cores, after which the cores are slipped over the ribs 14 and the rest of the building block is then built around the cores, the completed block assuming the formation shown in Fig. 16. The core itself is hollow and light, the groove g being formed in a transverse brace 16 of the core, said brace serving as a handle in draw ing the core out of the block as presently will more fully appear. The character of the outer end face of the finished block (corner block, for example) is determined by the shape and design of the end plate against which the concrete material bears during the molding of the block. This end plate is shown as a plane plate 17 in the present in stance, being coupled to the inner face of the wall 3 by means of a screw-bolt 18 passing through the middle one of a series of spacing bosses 19 formed on the end plate, said bosses spacing the plate from the wall (Fig. 1), the upper boss having a reduced end 19 passing through the wall thereby forming a shoulder in the boss against which the wall 3 bears. The adjacent end of the pallet 11 bears against the end plate, the concrete being thus confined between the face-plate 8, the pallet 11 side wall 4, end plate 17 and end wall 3, and built around the cores properly spaced along the wall 4. For an end block which is to have a rough end face, an end plate having a face adapted to impart such a finish to the block is substituted for the plate 17 herein shown.

It may be well to describe the operation of the invention when the device is used as a do wn-face machine, that is when the block is a molded face-down: The several walls of the box are folded together and interlocked as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 5, the face plate 8 having been previously secured to the bottom. wall 5, and the end plate 17 to the end wall 3. The face concrete is then spread on the face plate to a thickness corresponding (if desirable) to the distance between the face plate and the plane of the lower faces of the cores 16 which cores are then properly positioned after a careful adjustment of the spacing tongues or ribs 14 along the wall 4. To secure very fine adjustments (for example an adjustment corresponding to the horizontal distance between ahole o and a hole 0) the operator substitutes for a rib 14 having terrrinal arms 13 (Fig. 12), spaced to enter a pair of holes 0, one having apair of arms spaced to enter a pair of holes 0 which are closer together vertically than the holes 0 and out of alinenient therewith. Were the holes 0 and 0 all along a line, their closeness would remove too much metal along this line. Of course a continuous slot in lieu of the alternating series of holes 0, 0 would answer the same purpose, but a slot is objectionable in that it fills up with concrete forming a rib of concrete which must eventually be flaked off from the molded block thus detracting from its appearance. A small projection, however, fOIDlGCl by a hole 0 or 0 can be readily flaked off the block without affecting the appearance of the latter; and if the plug remains in the hole it can be forced out by a suitable bar or any available instrument. After the block is formed and its exposed face carefully leveled off and smoothed with a trowel, the box is tilted ninety degrees forward as shown in the sectional view in Fig. 4, the wall 4 resting against the upper transverse member B of the frame, the said wall 4 which during the molding operation occu pied a vertical position, being now disposed hori Zontally, and the bottom 5 which was horizontal during the molding operation, being now vertically disposed. With the mold-box in its second position (Fig. 4) which may be termed the discharging, position, the latches 6 of the end walls are disengaged from the latches 7, and the walls thrown open (the end walls being free to swing in horizontal planes about their new vertical hinge axes) and the wall 4 which is now the top wall is seized by the handle Hand swung away from the completed block, the opening of the wall 4 carry ing the ribs or tongues 14 with it, and disengaging them from the grooves 9 formed in the braces 16 of the cores. (The arrow in Fig. 4 shows the direction in which the wall 4 is swung open). The block is thus left exposed on all sides, resting on one of its sides on the pallet 11 with the cores still in the block. The pallet is now seized and drawn forward along the ribs 12 of the wall 4 on which the pallet is directly supported until it passes over the vertically adjustable brackets 20, 20 carried by the frame B, which brackets are intended to form a support for the pallet in its withdrawn position from the mold. The brackets are adjustable vertically for a purpose presently to ap ear and their manner of adjustment is as fol ows: Each bracket is provided with two series of vertically disposed openings 21, 21 respectively, the first being engaged by a removable pin 22 passed through the frame, and the latter by a knob or projection 23 east with the frame. By adjusting the brackets to a proper height to" engage the pallet 1 1 as it is withdrawn from the mold (see dotted position. of pallet in Fig. 4) the same are secured in posi tion by the knob 23 and locking pin 22 inserted into the openings when the brackets are brought to their adjusted position. Of course any other mechanical manner of adjusting the bracketswould answer the purpose. The elevation, of the brackets is such, and the machine is so mounted that when the pallet with its block is withdrawn over the brackets, the pallet is raised suilliciently above the top of the frame B to allow the insertion of any suitable off-bear under the pallet, and thus remove the pallet with its charge to any convenient place where the block is left to set. After the walls are thrown open as above described the cores are withdrawn by seizing the braces 16 thereof with the hand and pulling them out of the block.

When it becomes desirable to reduce the width or thickness of the completed block (that is, the distance between its front and rear faces), it is necessary of course to elevate the face plate 8 above the bottom 5, in which event as fully shown in Fig. 6, a number of spacing blocks 24 are interposed between the plate and bottom, the stems 9 being of su'llieient length to accommodate the blocks; and where at the same time it may be desirable to reduce the height of the block it is necessary to move the pallet away from the wall 4. This is accomplished by interposing suitable spacing blocks 25 between the wall 4 and pallet 11 (Fig. 6), in which case too a correspondingly narrower pallet would be used, the same depending for its support on a block or lug 26 secured to one of the end walls (3) of the box. The removal of the pallet 11 from the wall 4 as shown in F ig. (5, neeessarily calls for a corresponding vertical adjustment of the brackets 20 when the moldbox is rocked to its discharging position, for then the pallet 11 would occupy a relatively higher position above the frame B than that shown for the pallet 11 in Fig. 4, and the brackets 20 would therefore of necessity require to be elevated sullieiently to engage the pallet 11 as it is being withdrawn from the box. It is for this reason that the brackets 20 are made vertically adjustable.

For a block which is to have a convex face, a corresponding face plate 8 (Fig. 14) for imparting to the finished block the necessary contour is substituted for the plate 8. This change of contour, however, necessitates a corresponding extension of the box walls. Such an extension 27 is shown in Fig. 14, and is coupled to the original box by means of tongues 28 inserted into sockets formed by pairs of lugs 29 formed on the wall 4 of the original box. The extension is readily removable and is used only for the specific purpose referred to.

The importance of the careful centering or adjustment of the cores 16 will be even more apparent when it becomes desirable to cast two blocks in the same mold. This is illustrated in Fig. 15. In that case I provide the pallet 11 with a pair of central lugs 30.

Between these and between a pair of carefully adjusted ribs 14 I insert a partition 31 thus dividing the box into two compartments then with a core 16 in each compartment 1 can cast two distinct blocks; but since the partition 31 takes up a certain space it follows that the combined length of two individual blocks will be somewhat less than one single block C, and each of the small blocks will be slightly less than one-half the length of the long block. So that, to accurately center the flue opening through such short block, the core must be accordingly adjusted in the manner referred to by a proper shifting of the ribs or tongues 1.4.

The description thus far applies to the device when used as a down-face machine, that is to say a single face machine molding the concrete block face downward in which case the top of the machine (or what corresponds to the top for the casting operation) is always open, the rear face of the block being leveled oil with a trowel along said open top,

and when the block is discharged it is the rear face which faces the operator as the block is being withdrawn (Fig. 4); but in some instances it is desirable to mold a two face block, that is to say a block with two opposite finished faces. In that event the open top is first closed by a cover plate 32 (shown dotted in Figs. 2, 3, 5,) the same being coupled to the end walls 3, 3 by pins 33 passed respectively through perforated cars 34 already cast on the walls for the purpose, and through lugs 35 formed at opposite ends of the said cover plate. The boX thus closed is swung to the position shown in Fig. 4 (cor responding to the discharge position for a single face block), and the operator by rais ing the lid or wall 4 opens the box and with the remaining parts in position he pours the concrete around the cores, thus securing a block with two finished faces, one face bearing against the face plate 8, and the other against the face of the cover plate 32. The double faced block can then be withdrawn from the mold the same as the single faced by simply removing the cover plate 32, and opening out what constitute the top and side walls of the box in its discharging position.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A building-block machine comprising a mold having a bottom, and side and end walls hinged thereto, and oscillating about a hinge-axis disposed adjacent to the bottom, means for securing a face-plate to said bottom, a pallet removably inserted into the mold adjacent to one of the side walls thereof, means for spacing the pallet a suitable distance from said side wall, means for supporting the mold when oscillated to its discharging position, and means for supporting the pallet upon its withdrawal from the mold, substantially as set forth.

2. A building-block machine comprising a mold having a bottom, and side and end walls hinged thereto, and oscillating about a hinge axis disposed adjacent to one edge of the bottom, means on one of the side walls for adjustably disposing suitable cores for the block to be molded, means on the opposite side wall for supporting a pallet and spacing the same from said wall,a removable end plate secured to one of the end walls, means for supporting the mold with its bottom rocked to substantially a horizontal plane, means for supporting the mold with its bot.- tom rocked to a vertical plane, and devices for affording support for the pallet when withdrawn fronr the mold, substantially as set forth.

3. In a buildingblock machine, a mold having a bottom, side and end walls hinged thereto, a pallet disposed adjacent to one of the side walls, means for spacing the pallet from said side wall, and devices carried by two opposite hinged walls for securing a cover plate to the mold, substantially as set forth.

4. In a building-block machine, a mold having a bottom, side and end walls hinged thereto, a pallet for one of the side walls, spac ing devices interposed between the pallet and its contiguous side wall, suitable ribs or tongues disposed along the inner face of the hinged wall opposite the pallet, and a core or cores having corresponding grooves for receiving the tongues, substantially as set forth.

5. In a building-block machine, a mold having a bottom, side and end walls hinged thereto, suitable ribs or tongues removably and adjustably disposed along the inner face of one of the hinged walls, and secured in position along the opposite face of the wall and a core or cores having corresponding grooves for receiving said tongues, substantially as set forth.

6. In a building-block machine, a mold having a bottom, side and end walls hinged thereto, suitable ribs or tongues removably and adjustably disposed along the inner face of one of the hinged walls, a core or cores having corresponding grooves for receiving said tongues, suitable ribs disposed along the inner face of the opposite hinged wall for supporting a pallet, and devices serving as supports for the pallet located in front of the mold and disposed substantially in the plane of withdrawal of the pallet from the mold, substantially as set forth.

7. In a building-block machine, a hollow core having a brace spanning the space be tween two opposite walls thereof and having a longitudinal groove formed in said brace, substantially as set forth.

8. In a building-block machine, a mold having a bottom, side and end walls hinged thereto, an end plate secured to the inner face of one of the end walls and spaced therefrom, a face plate secured to the bottom, means carried by one of the side walls for adjusting the position of the core or cores for the block to be molded, a series of ribs formed on-the inner face of the opposite side wall for the support of a suitable pallet, a supporting base on which the mold is adapted to oscillate, means for supporting the mold when tilted with its bottom in a horizontal plane, means for supporting the mold with its bottom oscillated to avertical plane, and brackets carried by the frame in front of the mold for serving as supports for the pallet in its Withdrawn position from the mold, substantially as set forth.

9. In a building-block machine, a mold having a bottom, side and end walls respectively hinged thereto, a face plate adjustable to and from said bottom, a pallet adjustable to and from one of the side walls, an end plate secured to one of the end walls, latches for locking the hinged walls together, and adjustable brackets serving as supports for the pallet upon its withdrawal from the mold, substantially as set forth.

10. ,A building-block machine comprising a mold having a bottom, and side and end walls hinged thereto, and oscillating about a hinge axis disposed adjacent to the bottom, means for securing a face-plate to said bottom, a pallet removably inserted into the mold adjacent to one of the side Walls, means for spacing In testimony whereof I aflix my signature,

the pallet a suitable distance from said side in presence of two Witnesses.

wall, means for supporting the mold when os- I WILLIAM J ARMBRUSTER eillated to bring the pallet into substantially a horizontal plane, and means for supporting WVitnesses:

the pallet upon its Withdraivalfrom the mold, EMIL STAREK, substantially as set forth. MARY D. Win'icoisln. 

